18 Traditional Trades"
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, led by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has given the green light to a new Central Sector Scheme known as "PM Vishwakarma." This scheme has been allocated a substantial budget of Rs. 13,000 crore over a five-year span (FY 2023-24 to FY 2027-28). The primary objective of this scheme is to fortify and uphold the age-old Guru-Shishya parampara, wherein artisans and craftspeople transmit traditional skills through family-based practices involving hands-on craftsmanship.
The scheme seeks to enhance both the quality and accessibility of products and services provided by artisans and craftspeople, while also ensuring their integration into both domestic and global value chains.
The artisans and craftspeople enrolled in the PM Vishwakarma scheme will receive recognition through a designated certificate and ID card. They will also gain access to credit support, initially up to Rs. 1 lakh (First Tranche) and subsequently up to Rs. 2 lakh (Second Tranche), at a concessional interest rate of 5%. This scheme will also offer opportunities for skill enhancement, toolkit incentives, encouragement for digital transactions, and marketing support.
Aiming to benefit artisans and craftspeople from both rural and urban areas across India, the PM Vishwakarma scheme will initially encompass eighteen traditional trades. These trades encompass various skills such as carpentry, boat making, blacksmithing, goldsmithing, pottery, sculpting, weaving, and more, all of which are integral to preserving India's rich cultural heritage.